The Impact of Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium on the Incidence and Mortality of Oral and Gastrointestinal Cancers and Benign Diseases: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies, Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

The Impact of Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium on the Incidence and Mortality of Oral and Gastrointestinal Cancers and Benign Diseases: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies, Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Published:2024-01-04 Issue:1 Volume:11 Page:11
ISSN:2076-3298
Container-title:Environments
language:en
Short-container-title:Environments

Author:

Katsas Konstantinos¹²^ORCID,Diamantis Dimitrios V.¹^ORCID,Linos Athena¹,Psaltopoulou Theodora³,Triantafyllou Konstantinos⁴^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Civil Law Non-Profit Organization of Preventive Environmental and Occupational Medicine, PROLEPSIS Institute, 7 Fragoklisias Street, 15121 Athens, Greece

2. Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece

3. Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 11527 Athens, Greece

4. Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Second Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University General Hospital, 1 Rimini Street, 12462 Athens, Greece

Abstract

Background: Limited evidence suggests a possible connection between natural or occupational exposure to chromium and an increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer. The main objective of this study is to investigate the literature regarding chromium exposure and gastrointestinal health issues (i.e., cancer). Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. Included observational studies were assessed for their risk of bias. Results: 16 observational studies and 7 reviews and meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies investigated gastric and hepatocellular cancer, followed by colorectal, oral, esophageal and pancreatic cancer. There is a limited amount of evidence regarding non-malignant gastrointestinal diseases. Chromium exposure is suspected to increase gastric and colorectal cancer risks. We did not find any convincing indications for increases in oral, esophageal and hepatocellular cancer. Pancreatic, gallbladder and extrahepatic bile ducts carcinogenesis is likely not associated with chromium exposure. Conclusion: We found weak evidence that chromium exposure is associated with gastric and colorectal cancer. Our review also highlights the existing controversial evidence regarding oral, esophageal and hepatocellular cancer, as well as the gap in studies investigating small intestinal cancer and non-malignant gastrointestinal health issues.

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

General Environmental Science,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Link

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/11/1/11/pdf

Reference47 articles.

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3. OSHA (2023, February 06). Chromium—Overview, Available online: https://www.osha.gov/chromium.

4. (2023, February 06). PubChem Chromium(6+), Available online: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/29131.

5. ATSDR (2023, March 26). Chromium (Cr) Toxicity: What Are the Physiologic Effects of Chromium Exposure?, Available online: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/chromium/physiologic_effects_of_chromium_exposure.html#:~:text=When%20inhaled%2C%20chromium%20compounds%20are%20respiratory%20tract%20irritants%20and%20can,with%20Cr(VI)%20compounds.